A Thousand Years
by DarkraixCresselia
Summary: Sequel to Chain of Souls. Thrax and Belle are living happily married with their friends. Nothing could possibly go wrong. But when Thrax's father, the Daemon, Draconis, things get difficult. The love and bond between Belle and Thrax are especially tested during the visit when Draconis's servant, Chel, takes an interest in our favorite Daemon-human.
1. With Eyes Wide Shut: Chapter 1

**A/N This is a sequel to the story, "Chain of Souls" that my friend and I co-wrote. She, RosesnWater, made videos on YouTube, and I wrote the story based on those videos. That's how this story is co-written right now.**

**I don't own anything except an OC characters you see (Almira, Alexandra, Victor, etc.) All characters are owned by their respective companies; the plot was written between RosesnWater and I, so she partially owns the plot.**

* * *

**With Eyes Wide Shut  
Chapter 1**

She didn't know where she was, or how she got there. All Belle knew was she was in a dark castle, but it wasn't the castle she had stayed in for several months. This one didn't have a cheery feel to it, nor did it have the sound of clicking claws or padding paws. It was dark and eerily quiet. It scared her that it was very quiet more than that it was dark and empty.

Another thing was that Belle was searching for something, but she had no idea what. She walked in and out of the different rooms of the castle, looking around each room. If whatever she was looking for wasn't in the room, she left. And still as she searched, she was still frightened; as though something could jump out and attack her at any moment. As she walked up a spiraling staircase, everything went black.

When she opened her eyes, Belle was no longer in a dark castle; she was snug in her bed, her husband asleep behind her, and their pet softly snoring at the foot of the bed.

Belle sighed softly, realizing it was only a dream. It scared her, but she was relieved when she found herself in her bed. She snuggled back against her husband, smiling when he wrapped an arm around her in his sleep and pulled her closer. Belle managed to roll over so she was facing him without waking him up.

Her husband's name was Thrax. He wasn't a pure human; he was actually part-Daemon, which was a mysterious creature resembling a gargoyle guarding a castle. Thrax had red skin with darker red claws and eyelids. His face was angular with a long pointed chin and cheekbones, purple dreadlocked hair, and yellow and green eyes, which were shut in sleep.

Belle snuggled against Thrax's warm chest, sighing softly again as she drifted off to sleep. The frightening and confusing dream didn't bother again that night.

* * *

The next morning, Belle was walking through town with a basket on her arm, shopping again. She wore her favorite blue dress with a white undershirt and apron. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail with a blue bow, and her hazel-colored eyes often glanced down at the pet at her feet.

This pet, named Almira, was an oddly orange-colored hyena with red spots and flaming legs, flaming yellow mane and tail, and pale yellow eyes. She had a bite in her right ear, and a scar that snaked down past her left eye and the corner of her mouth before stopping under her mouth. She also wore a purple bandana around her neck.

Almira never liked strangers, but had warmed up to Belle; especially after she was married to her master, Thrax. Now Almira enjoyed going with Belle to shop in the village they lived near. The villagers either cowered away in fear or scowled and glared at her, but the hyena, being used to this treatment, hardly cared at all. After all, she and Thrax had always been shunned by the villagers, and always would be.

Belle didn't like that Thrax and Almira were treated as freaks and monsters, as the villagers whispered. She admitted they didn't look normal, but this didn't matter to her. She felt that beauty was only skin-deep, and that true beauty was found within. But other people never understood this. And in addition to her husband and pet being shunned by the town, she herself became one of the most unpopular people in the village.

She was already perceived as odd due to her loving to read books and refusing the proposals of the best looking man—he was now thought to be dead, when in reality, he was living as a true beast in an abandoned castle in the forest. When she announced she was marrying Thrax, there was a big uproar. People were convinced she was forced to do this, while others thought she had truly gone crazy. Belle was often hurt by these accusations, even when Thrax comforted her.

The whispers behind her back still sounded as Belle walked through town, buying the things she needed, which included a new book. People whispered about how odd she was, reading, and about how she married a monster. Belle had sent glares in the direction of the jibes the first few times, but now she ignored them, although she was still hurt; not just for herself, but for Thrax's treatment.

Before they left town, Belle looked back at the villagers, who had gathered around to stare at her. When they saw her looking, they went on their way again. "I know what you're saying about us." She said bitterly. "And I don't like it. I may be able to ignore you all on the outside, but it still hurts that you say what you do about Thrax and I. Just because he's part Daemon, it doesn't mean he still isn't as human as you and I."

One person stood out, ironically, in the shadows. This person was an elderly woman, wearing a hooded cloak. She had a long face, green eyes, wrinkled tan skin, and long, graying black hair. With her was a long, blue serpentine-like animal, and a tall humanoid white and green animal with a long white dress and red eyes.

These two creatures with the woman were creatures called Pokemon. The serpentine one was a Dragon-Type one called Dragonair; the other was a Psychic-Type Pokemon called Gardevoir. The woman, who in fact was Thrax's mother, Melissa, used these Pokemon to spy on her son and Belle, believing her son to be as evil as his Daemon father. The two Pokemon would spy on them, and the Gardevoir would tell Melissa everything they saw; some Pokemon could learn how to talk, with Psychic being the fastest to learn.

While it was rude of the Pokemon to spy on her and her family, it irked Belle more that the villagers didn't mind the Pokemon; apparently, anything that wasn't associated with Thrax was fine in their eyes. That was why when the Pokemon that lived with Thrax and Belle revealed they lived with them, the villagers immediately ignored them.

These Pokemon were talking Pokemon who had been living in the castle in the forest. Belle met them after saving Thrax from dying in a blizzard, and they all bonded together so that the Pokemon lived with them. The leader of the trio was a Vulpix; an orange Fire-Type, fox-like Pokemon with six tails. She wore a brown bow on her right ear, and her name was Alexandra. Her best friends were a Meowth, a Normal-Type, cream-colored cat with a gold coin on his forehead, and a blue bandana around his neck, named Francis; and a Grovyle, a three-foot tall Grass-Type green and red lizard with yellow eyes, and a red bandana around his neck, named Victor.

The three Pokemon "earned their keep" by helping around the house and backyard; be it collecting eggs, cooking, or cleaning. Belle originally said it was okay that she did them, but they insisted on keeping themselves busy.

Belle's eyes met Melissa's sharp ones; as the women glared at each other, a shadow appeared over the younger woman from behind. Melissa's eyes widened, and she stepped away, her Dragonair and Gardevoir following.

Belle turned around, facing Thrax, who was standing right behind, grinning. He was wearing his gray turtleneck sweater, and black pants, boots and trench coat. "Hey, baby." He smiled.

"Hey yourself, handsome," Belle smiled, standing on her toes to kiss him; at over six feet, he was much taller than she was.

Almira wagged her tail at her master, smiling as he scratched behind her ears.

* * *

**A/N As I said in the first A/N, this is the sequel to Chain of Souls. So it'd be best if you read it first, and watch the videos as well, before reading this to ease up any confusion.**

**The video this part of the story is based on is called "With Eyes Wide Shut" by RosesnWater on YouTube. Beware for spoilers if you watch the video first.**

**I try to put in as much as I can in each chapter, but sometimes I can only put in so much, so forgive me if the chapters are short. Also, I may be working on some other stories, so I might be slow on updating.**

**Fun Fact: I was writing a research paper for school. I chose hyenas for my subject, and I learned hyenas can live up to 20 years in the wild; in captivity, they can live for as long as 40 years! I was astounded; I honestly did not know that. I only assumed they lived for over ten years at most. So, since being a pet is the same as being in captivity, Almira's gonna be around for a LONG time :)**


	2. With Eyes Wide Shut: Chapter 2

**A/N This is a sequel to the story, "Chain of Souls" that my friend and I co-wrote. She, RosesnWater, made videos on YouTube, and I wrote the story based on those videos. That's how this story is co-written right now.**

**I don't own anything except an OC characters you see (Almira, Alexandra, Victor, etc.) All characters are owned by their respective companies; the plot was written between RosesnWater and I, so she partially owns the plot.**

**RosesnWater: Me neither; it was both cool and unusual when I found that out. Thanks :)**

**Devilgirl123: Well, they ARE the star pairing of the story :D**

* * *

**With Eyes Wide Shut  
Chapter 2**

As Thrax sat cross-legged at the table, Belle was reading her new book on the sofa nearby. Almira was stretched out in a patch of sunlight that came in through the window. Since she and Thrax weren't on the run and having to sleep wherever it was available, usually outside, the hyena had gotten a bit lazy, preferring to sleep in the sunshine in the daytime. This didn't mean she didn't like walking around outside, sometimes chasing a stick or ball Belle or Thrax threw her. No, she still liked to run around, sniffing out rabbits to chase. She also liked her R&R every now and then.

The Pokemon were outside somewhere; probably practicing their moves and battling skills. Even though there were only five Pokemon in the area, there were also dangerous animals and people, and the Pokemon wanted to be prepared for any attack. They owed it to themselves to protect their new home and family; they liked calling themselves bodyguards.

"So, how was the town visit today?" Thrax asked out of the blue.

Belle sighed, turning a page in her book. "Well, I was able to count at least seven whispering insults before losing count today."

"Heh, a new record." Thrax chuckled. He stopped when Belle gave him a look.

"Thrax, I don't like how they treat you."

"I just ignore 'em, baby. After all, I've had that treatment my whole life; who's to say it won't last the rest of my life?"

"I know. I just don't like it."

He nodded solemnly. He didn't like it either, but he didn't make a big fuss about it. And he never liked it when someone made a crude comment about Belle, whether it was about how odd she was, or how she was crazy for marrying a monster. When someone insulted his wife, all it took was a glare and his glowing burner claw to make them shut up. He rarely had to get physical.

"I guess we'll have to accept that we're the odd ones out of the town." Thrax said. "An' if they don't like us, well, we ain't goin' nowhere, so they'll have to accept us."

"I've heard of people doing nasty things to people they don't like in other towns," Belle remarked, closing her book and putting it away. "Like spitting on them as they go down the street."

"If they spit at us, just spit back." Thrax grinned. "I could teach you."

Belle laughed, patting his shoulder. "Thanks, but I'll pass."

He shrugged. "Mh, suit yourself, baby."

Almira had woken up, and was looking out the window. Suddenly, her ears perked up, and she started barking. "What're you barkin' at, Baby Girl?" Thrax muttered, standing and looking out the window.

"What is it?" Belle asked.

"I don't see anyth-wait, there's a hawk flyin' close by."

"A hawk? What if it gets the chickens?"

"I'll go out an' scare it away." Thrax walked to the door and stepped outside; Almira followed close behind.

To his surprise, as he approached where the hawk was circling, it came for him. He stretched out one arm to protect his face; the hawk landed on his forearm like it was a trained bird. It had something in its hooked beak. It looked like a rolled-up piece of paper.

Curious, Thrax took the paper easily from the hawk. Once he had it, the bird flew away until it disappeared into the clouds.

Almira cocked her head, whining in confusion. "I don't know what that was about either, Mira." Thrax said. Shrugging, he and the hyena walked back into the house.

Belle had a confused expression as well. "Why did it land on your arm?" She asked.

"It had a paper in its beak."

"Do you think it was trained to deliver messages?"

"It looked wild. Then again, I ain't too educated in domesticated birds." He unrolled the paper and read it. As his green and yellow eyes scanned the paper back and forth and down, they narrowed angrily.

Belle was started to get worried. "Thrax?" She spoke up.

"To _hell_, I will!" He snapped, crumpling up the paper and throwing it on the table.

Belle's mouth fell open in surprise. "Thrax?"

He didn't answer; instead, he stormed out of the house, his black cloak flowing behind him. Almira trotted after him with a confused expression.

Belle stood where she was for a few minutes. Something on that message had upset Thrax. But what? She knew it was considered rude to read another's letter, but she was very concerned for her husband.

Alexandra, Francis, and Victor walked into the house, all looking bemused. "Is everything okay?" Alexandra asked. "We saw Thrax storm out of the house. What happened?"

"He got this letter via hawk, and something about it upset him." Belle explained, picking up the crumpled paper from the floor.

"Ooh, read it!" Francis hopped onto the table and sat down with an eager grin.

"Francis, we can't just read other people's letters." Victor sighed.

"I agree, Victor," Belle said, smoothing out the paper. "But I want to know what upset Thrax, and I have a feeling he won't just tell me. You all know how stubborn he is about these things."

The Pokemon all nodded.

Once the paper was smoothed out, Belle began reading,

_Dear my son, Thrax,_

_I do hope you've received this message. I've been searching for you, and have finally found out that you are living in a village close to the mountain where I live. I've also learned of your past life, growing up in a biased environment. But I won't go into detail about what you already know._

_I am writing you this letter because I wish to meet you. I've only seen you once when you were but a newborn when your mother tried to give you to me. I had to refuse; even though I was no longer part of my former pack, Daemons never raise their hybrid young. But, after twenty years, I confess that I am quite curious about you. So, I wish to meet you._

_My home is about a day's journey from your village. I've included another paper, detailing as best directions as I can write to get to my home. I really want to meet you, my son._

_Sincerely, your Daemon father, Draconis_

Belle was silent for a few seconds before Francis pawed at her arm. "Belle?"

She blinked. "It's from his father." She said quietly, wondering if they heard her.

"His father?" Victor asked, proving that he at least heard her.

"His father is a Daemon; he wants to meet Thrax."

"Why would that get Thrax upset?" Francis wondered out loud.

"Francis, his father refused to take his own son in when his mother didn't want him." Belle said. "And Thrax has never heard anything about him, save for that he is a Daemon, his whole life. I doubt Thrax would want to get to know his father."

"She's got a point." Alexandra agreed.

"Well, his father obviously wants to meet him, even though Thrax wants nothing to with him," Victor said.

"Yes, he does. He even wrote directions to his home." She handed the other paper to Victor after skimming it. "The only problem is I don't think Thrax will even go."

"Do you want him to?" Francis asked.

"Well, I think it would be nice of him to know his other parent. How bad could he be compared to Melissa?"

"Well, it'll take a lot of convincing to get Mr. Stubborn to go." Alexandra remarked.

Belle nodded, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Maybe I should talk to someone about the situation, and see what they think of it?"

"I don't see why not." Victor shrugged. "But who?"

"Someone who might know how to deal with stubborn people." Belle opened a cupboard and took out a small chest. She opened the chest and took out a small, black mirror. This mirror didn't have a reflection; it was as though black paint had been painted over it. Clearing her throat, Belle held the mirror so it was facing her and said, "Ariel? Can you come over? I need to talk."

Ariel was once a mortal young woman, who Thrax had fallen in love with. However, she was never in love with him, and instead fell in love with the God of Dead, Hades. She eventually went to live with him in the Underworld; this was possible because during a struggle against Ursula, a former goddess, over the Trident of Mortality, an object that could turn gods mortal, and turn mortals into immortals, Ariel's hand had brushed against the trident. Even with that small touch, and even after the trident was destroyed, Ariel became immortal, and thus was able to marry and live with Hades. She wasn't a goddess, per say, but she did over see the aquatic souls that came into the Underworld.

Thrax and Hades never quite got along, whereas Belle and Ariel were good friends. They often got together, whether on land or in the Underworld, to chat about "girly things," as Thrax called them, and about their husbands and such. Belle was able to communicate with them via the black reflection-less mirror she had.

In an explosion of blue and black bubbles, Ariel appeared in the living room. She had long red hair tied in a high ponytail, blue eyes, and wore a black dress with two gray skull pins holding it in place and black sandals. As she was born a mermaid, but turned into a human, when she was in a body of water, her legs turned into a sea-green mermaid tail.

"Hi, Belle," She smiled, sitting on the sofa. "What do you need?"

Belle sat down in the armchair and explained what happened, from Thrax receiving the message to when she found out what it was about.

Ariel was silent the whole story with a pondering expression. "Why didn't Thrax's father raise him? He's his son, after all."

"He said in the letter that Daemons never raise hybrid young." Belle answered. "That may be a good reason for Draconis, but not for Thrax."

Ariel nodded in agreement. "What should I do?" Belle fell back against the chair with a groan. "Part of me wants to not bother Thrax about it, but the other part wants to convince him to go and at least get to know him."

"Well, I think you should do what you think is right. If it was me, I'd want him to at least meet his father, and, like you said, get to know him."

"So you think I should convince him to go?"

"Sure." Ariel shrugged. "What harm could it do? You know he'd never hurt you on purpose."

Belle nodded with a smile; she felt much better. "So, how's life in the Underworld."

"Different," Ariel remarked, stroking Francis, who had crawled onto her lap. "But I'm getting used to it. I'm glad I'm able to swim as a mermaid; if I didn't have that part of me, I don't know what I'd do. Besides today's event, how's your life?"

"Same old," Belle shrugged.

The women talked some more before Ariel had to leave. As Belle waved goodbye to her, before she disappeared in black and blue bubbles, she felt more confident about confronting Thrax about the situation.

* * *

**A/N Well, this was quite a bit longer :)**

**Can I just say how much I loved the scene in the vid where Belle was placing a book on the table, and Thrax looked like he was sitting at the table? RosesnWater is a genius at video making! And here I am, feeling like a meager amateur XD Ah well, I have my own talents too.**

**It felt like Thrax to be humorous, rather than hostile, when the townsfolk are insulting him behind his back. He's been treated like that his whole life, so he's used to it. The only difference now is that he has some friends, including his wife, who don't do that; they accept him for who and what he is.**

**As a kid growing up, Thrax never knew his father; Melissa only had bad things to say about him. When he was old enough to understand more, including that Daemons don't raise their hybrid young, Thrax didn't want anything to do with him. That's why he's upset about the letter from Draconis (I don't know where I got the name; it just fit)**

**I decided to make Ariel immortal (she's NOT a goddess; just immortal) so she could live with Hades. Her dress is kinda like Meg's, but it's black, doesn't have the ribbons, and the buttons are gray and shaped like skulls (think Hades' chiton pin) It just fit that when she appeared, she appeared in an explosion of black and blue bubbles; she also turns into a mermaid in water. And after the whole events of "Chain of Souls" was over, she and Belle became good friends; Hades and Thrax, mmm...not so much.**


	3. With Eyes Wide Shut: Chapter 3

**A/N This is a sequel to the story, "Chain of Souls" that my friend and I co-wrote. She, RosesnWater, made videos on YouTube, and I wrote the story based on those videos. That's how this story is co-written right now.**

**I don't own anything except an OC characters you see (Almira, Alexandra, Victor, etc.) All characters are owned by their respective companies; the plot was written between RosesnWater and I, so she partially owns the plot.**

**Devilgirl123: We'll find out now :D  
**

**RosesnWater: Aw, thanks :3 Oh yes; I never expected them to be best buddies.**

**thebigcrunchone9: Thanks :)**

* * *

**With Eyes Wide Shut  
Chapter 3**

Belle waited anxiously for Thrax to return for several hours. Finally, Almira trotted into the house. Belle patted her head absentmindedly, watching for Thrax to come in. As Almira sat down by the furniture, Francis sat next to her with a grin. The hyena nudged the smitten Meowth away with her hind foot. Though he looked a little discouraged, this didn't seem to dampen Francis's mood.

Finally, still looking a little upset, Thrax stepped inside, brushing his dreadlocks back with a sigh. "Hey, baby," He said, embracing and kissing his wife. "I didn't scare ya, did I?"

"I was more concerned than scared." She admitted. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I saw what the letter said. Before you start screaming, I was worried about what the letter said, and why it made you upset."

Thrax had looked angry when he heard that Belle read the letter, but when she supplied her reasons, his expression softened. He was touched that she was worried about him; hardly anyone worried about him in the past.

"I think I understand why it made you upset. You only heard bad things about your father, and he never offered to care for you. Am I right?"

"Yes." He nodded, not wanting to say any more.

"I had Ariel come visit today, and we both agree that you should go and meet your father; maybe even get to know him a little."

"Why the hell would I go meet an' get to know him, when he never wanted to know me?" Thrax turned away and crossed his arm, not unlike a spoiled child.

"Because I think you need to know more family than just your mother." Belle countered, moving around so she was facing the stubborn Daemon-human. "Besides, how bad could he be compared to Melissa? He was the one who sent the letter, saying he wanted to meet you, which is more than I can say for Melissa; I'm sure she would never do that if she was in your father's place."

Thrax shrugged in an "I-guess-that's-true" manner. Finally, he sighed, "Well…when ya put it that way…I suppose I could go. But only for a few days; I'm not movin' in with him."

"I'm glad." Belle smiled, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "I'd really miss you." She backed away with a mischievous expression. "And you do know I'm coming along as well?"

"Well-wait, what?" Thrax exclaimed in surprise. Then he glared sternly. "No, you ain't!"

"Yes, I am. I'm not staying here and worrying about you for who knows how long." She said stubbornly.

"Belle, sweetie, pureblood Daemons are dangerous, and-"

"You'll protect me. You've gotten me out of bigger trouble. And we'll bring the Pokemon along."

"What now?" Francis's ears perked up, but no one paid the Meowth any mind.

"Almira can come too. They'll be more protection."

Thrax groaned, running his claws through his hair. "Thrax, I'm going with you, whether you like it or not, and that's final." Belle said with an expression that dared her husband to argue further.

Finally, he sighed heavily, "All right. I guess we won't get anywhere arguin'."

"Smart man." She smiled, kissing his cheek. She stepped back, saying half to herself, "We'll probably have to pack a few things; who knows how far it is t-" She was interrupted when Thrax hugged her tightly. "Thrax?" She muttered in confusion.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you." He whispered, holding her head to his chest with his hand. "I don't know what I'd to if anything happened to you."

Belle relaxed; she understood that he was worried about her. She hugged him back. "I know. But I'll be fine."

"You don't know that. We don't know anything about Draconis."

"You'll protect me; you, Almira, and the Pokemon. I have faith in you all."

They stood there in silence until Thrax said, "You just seem to attract trouble."

Bell looked up at him with a grin. "You must be trouble then, hm?"

He laughed at that. "Yeah, I guess I am." He held her face in his hands and kissed her; she kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck. After several seconds, Belle backed out of his arms. "All right, Casanova, I had better go tell Papa about the trip, so he can take care of the house and animals while we're gone."

"Hurry back." Thrax called after her with a charming grin.

She laughed as she opened the door to leave. "I'll try."

Before she left, Thrax yelled again, "An' you better tell him whose idea it was for you to come along."

"I will." She yelled back.

* * *

Belle's father, Maurice, lived on the other side of the village in a quiet cottage with only a nosy cat for company. When they visited, Thrax and Almira didn't like the cat, and the feeling was mutual.

When Belle had introduced Thrax to her father, Thrax had been a little uneasy; this was Belle's father, and no matter how old they were, fathers knew how to intimidate anyone their daughters had an interest in. But after relaying his life story, all the way up to him and Belle, Maurice decided to give the Daemon-human a chance. He eventually gave his blessing for Thrax to marry Belle, and soon became proud to call the Daemon-human his son, no matter what the villagers said. And Thrax was happy there was another person who wasn't afraid or disgusted of him.

Once Belle told him everything about the letter and convincing Thrax to meet his father, as well as allowing Belle to come along, Maurice sighed, "Well, Belle, I must admit, I agree with Thrax. This is a dangerous mission. You don't know a thing about this Daemon; he could be very dangerous."

"I've been in dangerous situations, and Thrax managed to save me. I have faith in him." Belle countered. "Besides, the Pokemon, and Almira, are coming along."

Maurice pinched the bridge of his nose before saying, "Well, I guess I can't argue any further. Just be safe, please?"

"Of course." She nodded. When she stood up, she became aware of Maurice staring at her with a solemn expression. "Is something wrong?"

He stood up and hugged her. "My little girl's all grown up. It seemed only yesterday you were sitting on your mother's lap as she read to you. Now you're grown up and married. What more could a man want? Except grandchildren, of course." He said with a smirk.

Belle's face reddened as she backed out of the hug. "Papa, please. Thrax and I've talked about it, and we're not exactly ready for children. We don't even know if we're able to have children."

"I know. But there's no harm in trying, right? I think you'd be an excellent mother."

She smiled softly. "You think so?"

"I know so. And don't worry about your house or animals; I'll take care of them."

"Thank you, Papa." Belle hugged him again before leaving for home.

* * *

After eating dinner, Belle, Thrax, and the Pokemon began to pack up for the journey. Once they were packed, they put their bags by the door where they were easily found. Thrax told everyone to get a good night's sleep, as they would be leaving bright and early.

As the Pokemon searched the house to say goodnight to Belle and Thrax, they found the couple's bedroom door shut, and Almira was lying in front of the door. They glanced at each other before Alexandra and Victor left the scene; Francis followed close behind after saying goodnight to Almira, who only grunted in reply. It was an unspoken rule that if Belle and Thrax were in their bedroom, the door was shut, and Almira was in front of the door—whether sitting, lying down, or asleep—that no one disturbed any of the mentioned.

The Pokemon slept in the barn, as they did every night. Belle had protested the first time they slept in the barn, insisting they slept in the house, but Alexandra assured her that they were comfortable in the straw with the chickens, horses, and goats. And they also pointed out that if something, or someone, were to try and harm the animals, the Pokemon would be the first to know and do something.

In the bedroom, Belle sighed softly in Thrax's warm arms. "I know you don't like it, but I'm glad you decided to go." She said.

"I guess I'm just stubborn, ain't I?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yes, you are." Belle immediately nodded, earning a chuckle from the Daemon-human. "While I was talking to Papa, he mentioned wanting grandchildren, again."

Thrax couldn't help rolling his eyes. He knew it was coming that Maurice wanted grandchildren, but Thrax wasn't sure he was ready to be a father as of late; he wasn't even sure if he would be a good father in the first place. "Maybe in a few years." He always said when Maurice brought up the subject. But the elderly man seemed to forget Thrax's statement every time.

"He said that I'd be a good mother," Belle continued.

"I'm sure you would be," Thrax answered. "I'm just not sure 'bout me bein' a father."

"I know. But you never know about things until you try. Besides, you can't be any worse than your mother, right?"

"Right as always, Belle." He kissed her forehead. "An' I think I'm right in sayin' that we'd better get to sleep; we've got a long ways to go."

Belle nodded and snuggled closer in his arms, falling asleep in a few minutes.

* * *

**A/N Belle's pretty stubborn, huh? But when you're married to a stubborn man, you gotta be equally stubborn, if not more; or so that's how I think it :3 And Franky (still has a crush on Almira XD) is just in the background.**

**Foreshadowing at Maurice wanting grandchildren? Maybe...XD I ain't tellin'**

**I always like writing Thrax flirting with his girl :)**


	4. With Eyes Wide Shut: Chapter 4

**A/N This is a sequel to the story, "Chain of Souls" that my friend and I co-wrote. She, RosesnWater, made videos on YouTube, and I wrote the story based on those videos. That's how this story is co-written right now.**

**I don't own anything except an OC characters you see (Almira, Alexandra, Victor, etc.) All characters are owned by their respective companies; the plot was written between RosesnWater and I, so she partially owns the plot.**

**RosesnWater: I think so too; that, and it was funny to write XD**

**Thanks :) No problem; take your time.**

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**With Eyes Wide Shut  
Chapter 4**

Early the next morning, Belle sat up in bed, yawning and stretching, to find the bed empty. "Thrax must've gotten an early start." She said, scratching the back of her neck as she crawled out of bed. She pulled on her clothes and shoes. Just as she picked up the brush to brush her hair, Thrax came in, already dressed. "Let me do that, baby," He said, taking the brush.

Belle smiled and sat at her mirror, watching Thrax brush her long, brown hair. "Are the others up?"

"Yep. Almira an' the Pokemon have eaten, and left some breakfast for you an' me. Right after, we'll have to saddle up an' get goin'. Ribbon, please?"

She handed him her blue ribbon. "Thanks." He shaped her hair into its usual ponytail and tied it with the ribbon. "So it's probably a good idea we gave that old horse to your dad."

"Phillipe isn't that old." Belle protested with a small smile.

As a wedding present, Maurice had given Belle a younger horse, saying Phillipe should retire, and spend his days grazing in the pasture. The horse, named Snow, was off-white with a gray mane and tail, and blue eyes. Belle had taken to him like a pro, and enjoyed riding Snow, with Thrax on Blaze, his own horse, through the woods on the weekends if the weather was nice.

"Maurice agreed with me on that matter; two against one, can't argue with that, baby." Thrax grinned, kissing Belle on the cheek. "All right, better eat yer breakfast. We gotta get goin'."

"And I thought you didn't want to go in the first place." Belle smiled, standing up.

"Don't remind me." Thrax said bitterly. "I still don't like the idea."

Belle decided not to reply, not wanting to get into another argument.

After finishing her breakfast, Belle grabbed her bag, which had food and supplies for at least two weeks, and walked out to the barn. Both horses, Blaze and Snow, were still in their stalls. Belle saddled up Snow; as she was putting on his bridle, Thrax came in and began saddling up his own horse. The Pokemon came in, along with Almira. "Who's walking and who's riding?" Victor asked.

"I'm riding Almira." Francis grinned; Almira shook her head and nudged him away from her.

"We could use the exercise," Alexandra said. "We'll walk along with the horses until we get tired; then I'll ride with Belle, and you and Victor will ride with Thrax."

Though Francis pouted at the suggestion, he and the others agreed on this decision. "Does anyone have the paper with the directions?" The Meowth asked.

"Right here," Thrax said, patting his coat. He and Belle lead the horses out of the barn, and mounted them. "Says that we gotta head east first." He said. "That's easy; towards the sun." He turned Blaze around and kicked him into a gallop; Belle followed close behind on Snow. Almira and the Pokemon all galloped after the horses as fast as their legs could carry them.

It took the whole day to reach the mountain described in the directions. It was tall, almost piercing the clouds, and had two small peaks on either side of the main peak. It almost resembled a castle.

"This must be it." Thrax said as Victor and Francis peaked over his shoulder and around his side; both Pokemon were sitting on Blaze, behind the Daemon-human.

"This place is creepy." Alexandra said, behind Belle and on Snow.

"Don't Daemons usually live in mountains?" Belle asked.

"Mountains or volcanoes," Thrax nodded. "I suppose were lucky he doesn't live in a volcano."

They stood there for several minutes as the sky began to darken, and the stars and moon appeared overhead. Finally, Thrax sighed and said, "Well, might as well go in."

Both horses began walking slowly past the rocks and dead plants into the mountain; Almira followed at their heels, watching for any danger. The Pokemon jumped down and followed on foot.

Inside, it was dark, save for some torches bolted to the rocky walls. There were stalagmites and stalactites everywhere, adding to the creepiness. Francis stayed close to Almira, gripping her bandanna in his paw; for once, she didn't complain.

The hyena jumped when she heard a noise. She bared her teeth, growling in the direction of the sound. "What is it, Almira?" Belle asked.

"She must've heard somethin'." Thrax said, stopping Blaze; Snow followed suit.

"I heard it too," Alexandra said. "It came from that direction."

Footsteps were heard from the direction Almira was still glaring towards, and they were getting louder. Belle was getting very nervous; Thrax glared at the approaching footsteps, readying his burner claw in case it was a predator. Almira growled louder as the Pokemon took a fighting stance.

To everyone's surprise, a woman came out. She had brown skin, long black hair that reached past her wide hips, and dark-brown almond-shaped eyes. She wore a white and pink midriff, exposing her ribs and abdomen, a sash tied around her hips, which hung down in the front and back, and large diamond-shaped gold and blue-green earrings.

"Who are you?" She asked in a suspicious voice.

"I'm Thrax," He said with a slight grin, lowering his claw. "This is my wife, Belle, our pet, Almira, an' our friends, Alexandra, Francis, an' Victor."

The woman blinked in surprise. "You're Thrax? Draconis's son?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"I am his servant; I am Chel. Master Draconis has been expecting you, Thrax. Though he didn't say anything about the others…"

"How would he know I had a wife, pet, an' roommates?" Thrax challenged.

"Yes, forgive me. Allow me to take your horses to the stables," Chel said, taking the horses' reins as their riders dismounted. "Just keep going straight, and you should enter Master Draconis's throne room. He should be pleased to see you all."

"Thank you, Chel," Belle smiled.

"Of course." Chel nodded. As she left, she sent a flirty smile and wink to Thrax. He raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off as he led the group down deeper into the tunnel.

After about five minutes, they finally came into a large room. Torches lit up the room, stalagmites and stalactites littered the floor and ceiling, and there were three doorways. In the back and center was a large throne made of stone. Standing beside it was a tall, red creature that looked like a gargoyle with very long claws. At least six and a half-foot tall, it stood on its dark-red, sharp toes, and had a long spear on each of its heels, like a rooster. It's large, folded wings had long slash scars in the membranes. It wore a loincloth made of what looked like deer skin around its waist, and it had long, purple, deadlocked hair.

The group stopped, and Thrax stood in front of everyone else in what was almost a protective manner. Clearing his throat, he said in a clear, bitter voice, "Hello, Draconis."

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**A/N Kinda filler and cliffhanger combined.**

**I decided Phillipe was a bit old to be on such a long journey, so I gave Belle a new horse.**

**So we meet Chel. I haven't seen Road to El Dorado (which is what she's from) for a few months, so she may be OOC. But I'll try and watch it tonight.**

**Uh-oh, looks like she's interested in Thrax 0_0 And right after he said he had a wife; twice!**

**Next chapter, we formally meet Draconis. In the YouTube vid, he's played by Jafar, because that's the closest to his character (I think Jonathan Freeman would be a good voice actor for Draconis) But in this story, Draconis is a Daemon :)**


	5. With Eyes Wide Shut: Chapter 5

**A/N This is a sequel to the story, "Chain of Souls" that my friend and I co-wrote. She, RosesnWater, made videos on YouTube, and I wrote the story based on those videos. That's how this story is co-written right now.**

**I don't own anything except an OC characters you see (Almira, Alexandra, Victor, etc.) All characters are owned by their respective companies; the plot was written between RosesnWater and I, so she partially owns the plot.**

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**Chapter 5**

"Hello, Draconis."

At Thrax's words, Belle's vision suddenly darkened; when it cleared up, she saw herself in the mountain, wandering around. When she turned around at a noise, Thrax was dragging his glowing claw along a stone table.

"_Thrax?" Dream Belle whispered, sounding very frightened._

"_You betrayed me, Belle." Dream Thrax growled, glaring at her._

"_What?" She whispered. "No! I would never…"_

_Dream Thrax only stepped back as Dream Belle held out her hand towards him. Then, he seemed to disappear out of thin air._

Belle gasped softly as everything disappeared; she was in Draconis's throne room. Everything was the same as it was before her vision; as though no time had passed.

"You all right, baby?" Thrax whispered.

Belle nodded. She chose not to tell him about her vision; it would suspicion him about her saying that in her vision, he accused her of betraying him. And she recognized the mountainous castle; it was the castle that had been in her dreams for the past several days.

The Daemon turned around at Thrax's voice. Belle immediately saw the family resemblance between him and Thrax. They had the same facial features, though Draconis's were much more angled, and his chin and cheekbones were longer; while Thrax's eyes were golden yellow and green, and his hair was dark purple, Draconis's eyes were yellow and orange, and his hair was lighter in color.

His eyes widened as soon as he saw Thrax. "…Thrax?" He whispered in a deep voice; deeper than Thrax's. "My son?"

"Yes, I am Thrax." He nodded, not acknowledging that Draconis called him "son."

Draconis stepped down until he was directly in front of the Daemon-human. His eyes ran up and down Thrax, a smile growing on his sharp lips. "…Look at you; I haven't seen you since you were but a baby. My, how you've grown."

"Indeed." Thrax said dryly. "Anyway, this is my wife, Belle," He nodded at her, and then gestured at Almira and the Pokemon in turn, "This is our pet, Almira, an' our Pokemon friends, Alexandra, Francis, an' Victor."

Draconis was more interested in Belle though. "Your wife? To tell the truth, I never expected you to have a wife; especially not one as beautiful as this woman is."

Thrax glared dangerously at the Daemon. Belle placed a hand on his shoulder, and smiled nervously at Draconis, remembering what her husband had said about pureblood Daemons, "Thank you, Mr. Draconis."

"Please, Belle, no formalities," Draconis said charmingly, reminding Belle of Thrax. "You may call me Draconis; after all, we're family."

"You may be my father, but you'll never be family to me." Thrax snarled, nudging Belle back. "After all, ya never wanted me when I was a baby."

This seemed to put a guilty expression on Draconis's face. But it gradually disappeared as he smiled, "I assume you're all tired from your long journey, yes?" He snapped his fingers loudly.

Chel came in and bowed to the Daemon. "You requested me, Master Draconis?"

"I did indeed, Chel," Draconis nodded with a serpent-like grin. "Please show our guests to their rooms. Two should be fine; one for Thrax, his wife, and pet, and the other for their Pokemon friends."

"Yes, Master Draconis." Chel said, bowing again. She began walking towards the eastern hallway. "Right this way, please."

Thrax, Almira, and the Pokemon followed after her; Belle was leaving as well, but paused when she saw Draconis's reserved expression. She turned back and gazed at the Daemon. "Is something wrong?" She asked, all nervousness gone.

"I know Thrax doesn't think of me as a father," He sighed. "And I don't blame him. But I was bound against Daemon customs, and couldn't take him in when he was a baby. Now, I want to mend things between us. But I know he won't speak to me."

Belle felt sorry for Draconis. Even though he was at fault for rejecting Thrax when he was a baby, when she thought about it, had he, she probably wouldn't have met and fallen in love with Thrax; she would probably be married to Gaston. Shaking her head of these thoughts, she spoke up, "Perhaps I could talk to him? After all, I convinced him to come here."

Draconis looked back at the young woman. "You would do that?"

"I wanted him to get to know his father, and I will. I'm just as stubborn as he is, if not more."

"Oh, thank you, Belle," Draconis smiled, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you."

She nodded, squirming slightly under the heat of the Daemon's hand; it was much hotter than Thrax's hand. "Well, I think I better go catch up before Thrax begins to worry."

"Of course," Draconis removed his hand. "We wouldn't want Thrax to worry. Good night, my dear."

"Good night." She turned and began walking in the direction Thrax and the others went.

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As Chel led Thrax and the others to their rooms, she asked, "So, you live in the village?"

"Not exactly," He said. "We live outside the village; the villagers don't exactly like us, if ya know what I mean."

"They aren't the most accepting bunch." Victor added.

"It's a shame," Chel said, running her hand down Thrax's arm.

He swallowed, clearing his throat afterwards. "Yeah, but I'm happy with Belle; she an' her father accept me for who I am, an' I got Almira an' the Pokemon. There's also this girl I used to like; her husband…we're not exactly 'friends.'"

"More like frenemies." Alexandra remarked.

"Exactly."

"Well, with friends come enemies, as Master Draconis says." Chel said. She gestured at a room. "This shall be the Pokemon's room."

"Thank you, my dear." Victor kissed her hand and entered the room. The other Pokemon followed after him; Francis blew a kiss to Almira, who tossed her head to the side. He either didn't notice, or he didn't let it bother him.

"Speaking of Draconis, you look so much like him." Chel smiled, siding up to him. "You're both very muscular, and very handsome."

"Well," Thrax coughed slightly. "Thank you, baby."

Chel giggled, patting his chest. "Anyway, next door, we have this room, for you, Almira, and your wife."

It was either Thrax's imagination, or the way she said 'wife' made it sound as though she didn't wish to say it that way. He shrugged it off, thanked her, and stepped into the room.

The bedroom was a large one. There was a wooden wardrobe, a window overlooking smaller mountains, a door presumably leading to a bathroom, and a wooden bed with what looked like animal skins for a mattress, blanket, and pillows. There was also a bearskin rug at the foot of the bed.

As Almira sniffed at the rug, Thrax leaned on his hands against the glass window, not really looking out at the scenery. His mind was racing, trying to take it all in. He had met his father, and said father probably wanted to get to know him. The stubborn part of Thrax continued to shut out Draconis, not wanting to get to know him any more than now. He kept the knowledge that his father never wanted him as a baby to his heart, and refused to let it go.

Someone walking in interrupted his thoughts. In the reflection, he saw Belle, looking at him with concern. "Are you all right?" She asked.

"…Have you ever just let your thoughts go by, and only watched them, and thought about what had happened?"

Belle walked up next to him and laid a hand on his arm. "Yes, I have." She nodded.

Belle's touch felt different from Chel's; it felt more loving and calming. Chel's felt as though she was flirting with him; like she wanted to pull him from Belle. Well, that would never happen; he loved Belle, and only Belle, and he wanted to stay with her until the day they died.

"Thrax, I was talking to Draconis," Belle continued. "And he truly wants to spend time with you. He wants to try and mend things. But you're just too stubborn to realize that."

Thrax scowled and pulled away. "You think I wanna be with him?"

"I know you don't," Belle said patiently. "But you came here, even though you didn't want to. And that's something in itself." She walked around so she was facing him. She took his large hands in hers and stared into his eyes. "Please, Thrax; if not for Draconis, for me? I'm the one who wanted you to go; I don't want this trip to be wasted, and I don't want you regretting not knowing your father."

Thrax tried to turn away, but Belle's hazel-colored eyes seemed to have a firm hold on his golden yellow and green eyes. Finally, he sighed, "I suppose I could at least talk him."

Smiling, she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Thrax. That means a lot to me."

He didn't say anything; instead, he held her close and kissed her again.

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It was late in the night. Alexandra, Francis, and Victor were all curled up in their own beds in their room. Chel was in her own room; Draconis had retired to his own bedroom as well. Almira was asleep on the bearskin rug in Thrax and Belle's bedroom.

Thrax was sound asleep in bed; in his arms, Belle laid awake, although her eyelids were beginning to grow heavy. Soon, she too fell to the spell of sleep.

_She was in a dark room; there was almost no light. And what little light was a dark, eerie red. Belle was all alone again; or so she thought. A head popped up in front of her; it was hooded, and had long horns jutting out the top of its head._

_Her eyes widened in shock and fright. The head slowly turned around. Its face was dark, but she could see two glowing, red eyes in the darkness._

_Belle jumped back, trying to cry out in fright. But her voice was silent, as though she was mute. As she pressed back against the wall, the monster began walking towards her, reaching out with its clawed hands. As Belle tried, again, to scream, everything went black._

Belle gasped awake, but was relieved to find herself in Thrax's arms again. However, she was still shaken from the dream. She snuggled back against Thrax; sleep didn't find her again for what seemed like hours. Luckily, no terrifying nightmares haunted her tonight.

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**A/N I had forgotten Belle's daydream for the last chapter, so I decided to put in this one.**

**I got nothing much to say, so I'm just gonna say this: this chapter marks the end of the first part of the story, and the end of the first video of the story. So, this story will be put on hold until the new video is posted (take your time, RosesnWater) Until then, I might post one of the other stories I've been working on.**


End file.
